The Trimmel Group - functional polymers and new materials for photovoltaics

(C) CDL für Nanokomposit-Solarzellen

The research focus of the Trimmel Group is devoted to the synthesis of new materials - functional polymers via ring opening metathesis polymerisation (ROMP) and new absorber materials for solar cells with special emphasis to inorganic-organic hybrid solar cells, kesterite solar cells and perowskite solar cells.

perovskite solar cells: Organo-lead halide perovskite solar cells are currently fascinating the PV community. Current research is focussing on solution based perovskite suitable for roll-to-roll processing, and on lead-free alternative perovskites.

metal sulfide nanocrystals and thin films: based on ideas from the synthesis of hybrid solar cells, research is additionally focussing on the preparation of pure metal sulifides, either in the form of nanocrystals or in thin films. Examples are ZnS, CuInS2 and Cu2ZnSnS4 (kesterite). Some of these materials were also investigated as absorber material in solar cells.

functional polymers via ROMP: Research is focussing on the preparation of defined (block-co)polymers bearing fluorescent dyes at specific place on the polymer chain enabled by the living polymerisation character of ROMP. Using the self assembling properties of defined block copolymers nanostructured polymerarchitectures with tuned optical and luminescent properties are possible.

Investigation of rubber-metal adhesion: The adhesion of rubber to brass coated steel wire - the main reinforcing material in many rubber products (tyres, hydraulic hoses, handrails) is of utmost importance for their performance. Research is focussing on establishing new analytical tools for the analysis of the metal-rubber interface as well as on the optimisation of the adhesion.

Gregor Trimmel has received his MSc (Dipl.Ing.) (1996) in Technical Chemistry at the Vienna University of Technology, where in 2000 he also received his Ph.D. (Doctor Technicae) (Title of the PhD-Thesis “Inorganic organic hybrid materials using organically modified metal alkoxides for the syntheses of nanostructured materials”) in the group of Prof. Dr. Ulrich Schubert.

In 2001 he worked as a post-doctoral researcher at the University Pierre et Marie Curie, Paris VI, France (research group Florence Babonneau) on sol-gel routes to SiOC-ceramics. After a second post-doctoral research stay at the University of Padova, Italy (research group: Lidia Armelao) for 5 months, he joined the Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Organic Materials (since 2009 ICTM, Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Materials) of the Graz University of Technology in August 2002.

In July 2008 he received the venia docendi for Macromolecular Chemistry and Technology (title of the habilitation thesis: Synthetic Routes towards Functional Polymers and Patterned Surface Layers). Since Aug. 2008 he is Associate Professor at the ICTM and leading the photovoltaic research group. From June 2008 till October 2013, he was director of the Christian Doppler Laboratory for Nancomposite Solar Cells. Current research activities are focused on the synthesis and characterisation of new materials in the area of functional polymers and inorganic organic hybrid materials especially for application in photovoltaics.